Famous Cork landmark to return to streetscape after restoration

AN “important part of Cork’s heritage” is to make a return to the city’s landscape, following a campaign to restore and rescue it from dereliction.

The old ‘Fireman’s Rest’ that stood proudly on St Patrick’s St for over a century has been in storage in a Fitzgerald’s Park depot for 20 years, but will now form part of a new installation in the city’s civic district.

The update on the structure was welcomed by Independent councillor Mick Finn, who had previously called for the structure to be refurbished.

“I am thrilled that this important part of Cork’s heritage and history will see the light of day again, 100 years after surviving the Black and Tans’ Burning of Cork,” he said.

“It is something I asked for during my term as Lord Mayor, on foot of many requests from interested members of the public, and it will be a nice culmination to the Decade of Commemorations.”

The Fireman’s Rest was originally assembled for the Cork Fire Brigade and consisted of a metal hut that was manned 24/7 by a firefighter with a ladder and hose nearby. His task was to use this equipment and any at the scene of a fire or the immediate environs and respond to the incident until his colleagues backed him up from the city’s fire station, originally based at Sullivan’s Quay.

Mr Finn said the structure was shared with staff of the old tram company (1898-1930) and later, exclusively used by CIE (1931- 2003).

In a question to the city council’s chief executive, the South Central ward councillor asked about the status of the refurbishment project which is being documented and photographed as part of the process.

“Cork City Council is currently completing a full restoration of the Fireman’s Rest which will be sited on the forecourt of the Fire Station on Anglesea Street, where accommodation works are ongoing,” the reply stated.

Mr Finn said he was informed that the works are expected to be completed in December and that a ceremony to unveil the structure will also take place next month.

“It is fitting that the current Lord Mayor, Cllr Kieran McCarthy, will unveil this given his passion for and dedication to local history,” he said.

Mr Finn had last year championed a successful campaign calling on Cork City Council to refurbish another historic landmark, Mangan’s Clock, on Patrick St.

“With the city modernising, which is a good thing, it’s important too that we preserve heritage infrastructure that is within the council’s remit... we need to keep telling Cork’s stories”.